The present disclosure generally relates to electronic identification and authentication, and more particularly to a location-based electronic identification and authentication system that performs electronic identification and authentication of devices to enable secure electronic mobile transactions.
More and more consumers are conducting electronic transactions, such as purchasing items and services, via computing devices over electronic networks such as, for example, the Internet. Consumers routinely purchase products and services from merchants and individuals alike. The transactions may take place directly between a physical or on-line merchant or retailer and the consumer, and payment is typically made by entering credit card or other funding source information. Transactions may also take place with the aid of an on-line or mobile service provider such as, for example, PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. Such service providers can make transactions easier and safer for the parties involved. Purchasing with the assistance of a service provider from the convenience of virtually anywhere using a mobile device is one main reason why on-line and mobile purchases are growing very quickly.
Utilizing advances in mobile transaction technology, customers may now pay for a good or service at a point of sale (POS) device of a physical merchant using their smartphones, tablets, laptop computers, and/or other personal mobile computing devices. However, such conventional mobile transaction systems have drawbacks and inconvenient features that have impeded their adoption by both customers and merchants. For example, check-in or set-up procedures typically must be conducted at the POS device to identify and authenticate the customer, and often require the customer to take their mobile device out of their pocket or bag when they approach the POS device, and input information into the mobile device in order to enable a payment to the merchant, which can be time-consuming and inconvenient for both the customer and the merchant. In another example, the check-in or set-up procedures at the POS device typically result in the provisioning of sensitive information including, for example, payment account identifiers and/or other payment account information, customer names, customer telephone numbers, customer email addresses, customer physical addresses, and/or other types of sensitive information to the merchant device and/or the display of that sensitive information on a display device, which raises security concerns associated with that sensitive information being captured via, for example, the display device or a data breach at the merchant system.
Thus, applicants recognize that there is a need for improvements to electronic identification and authentication that address the issues detailed above.
Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.